Dr. William F. Gibson

Mar. 28, 2012

Dr. William F. Gibson was a dentist by profession, but his resume might also have included “freedom fighter.”

That’s how Gibson was described by many who admired his battles for civil rights.

Gibson spent many years working with the NAACP, on both the local and national levels, rising to become chairman of the national organization.

He worked to register voters and to give African Americans the chance to serve in political office and to make a difference in their communities. And he served as a mentor to young men who later became community leaders.

In his dental practice, established in 1959, Gibson often helped patients who couldn’t afford treatment.

After his death in 2002, Gibson was praised as a civil rights trailblazer and a peacemaker during an era of violent racial strife.